London, April 28 – Aid to Tibet: In the Land of Khampas, Tibet Foundation’s Aid to Tibet documentary film had its first screening in London on Wednesday 26 April 2006 at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly. Phuntsog Wangyal, a founding trustee, who visited the region in June 2005, introduced the documentary to a full-house.
The film highlights Aid to Tibet’s programmes and achievements over the last 14 years, including the successful completion of one of it’s major health aid projects and shows the situation as it is today inside Tibet.
Following changes in Tibet and China in the early 1990s, Tibet Foundation found a way to start small educational projects in central Tibet. This was to give practical assistance to the people living there. In 1995 a great natural disaster of snow blizzards killed thousands of livestock and destroyed the livelihood of thousands of Tibetan nomads in east Tibet. Tibet Foundation was one of the first British charities to respond sending some £200,000 to rehabilitate the nomads’ livestock and rapidly provide emergency relief of food, clothing and shelter.
Encouraged by the success of its aid programme and good relationship that developed between both the local people and their leaders, Tibet Foundation was requested to continue its work in the region.
“As a charitable organisation, the three main areas of Tibet Foundation work inside China, in Tibetan areas are – Education, Healthcare and Economic Development. Lately, at the request of the local people, we started doing some cultural preservation work. Our basic principle, helping anywhere in the world, is that firstly, we work within the law of the country where we are providing humanitarian assistance, giving grants or helping people. Secondly, the initiative has to come from the local people with full support of the authorities and the government. Thirdly, we have to have access of supervision and monitoring of our projects. Once these three conditions are met, then we will work. If these conditions are not met then we won’t work”, Phuntsog Wangyal says in the film.
Against the beautiful landscapes of the Tibetan plateau, the film shows the people who have been helped from the elderly in the Old People’s Homes to school children studying, dancing and exercising. It includes interviews with the beneficiaries expressing their gratitude for the support they have received and continue to receive from Tibet Foundation. The local Tibetan leaders also voice their sincere admiration to supporters of Tibet Foundation over the years.
This film was produced by Tibet Foundation with support from Suit for post production. Most of the footage was recently shot by Gilles Blaize during the follow-up visit to the region in November 2005 by Tibet Foundation Director Karma Hardy.
Aid to Tibet: In the Land of Khampas (35 min. DVD PAL) is now available from Tibet Foundation Office (£10 / 15 euros plus P&P).
Tibetan, Chinese and French language versions will be available soon.
For further information, please contact: Tsering Passang
Tel: 0044(0)207 930 6001
Email: office@tibet-foundation.org
www.tibet-foundation.org
Tibet Foundation 1 St. James’s Market, London SW1Y 4SB, UK
